Category: About Me

Hey guys, so today’s post is going to be a little different. I’m going to get a little personal with you. This past week was insane. So insane that I’m writing this just minutes before it will be going up.

Amongst those changes was a revelation about my embouchure. I have a Cupid’s bow, and that means that I can’t get the best sound by playing exactly in the middle. Continue reading “Embouchure Changes…”

12. I don’t get nervous before I perform.

13. My first piccolo was an early birthday present that I found for a really good deal.

I had wanted a piccolo for awhile and was in contact with someone who was looking to sell. I got a good enough deal that my parents bought it for me as an early birthday present. Three years later, I still play it!

14. I prefer playing flute without accompaniment.

Since I had played piano for awhile, I was used to playing on my own. The first time I played with someone else was a little weird for me. I still enjoy playing unaccompanied pieces. I love them so much, 3 of my 7 senior recital works were just me.

15. The first flute I ever played belonged to my high school band director.

I was at school one Saturday helping with set up for an event. The band room was open, and I stumbled upon the flute. I haven’t looked back since then.

16. My favorite composer is Claude Debussy.

Syrinx is an amazing flute piece, and I love Debussy’s other works so much. His piano stuff is amazing, but I can’t quite play it.

17. I started this blog as a way to help other young musicians improve their craft.

Blogging is tied with music for my biggest passion. I love being able to share tips and tricks with the world. It’s also fun to get to do personal posts like this once in awhile.

18. I see this blog as a way to grow my own skills and help me pursue music full time.

The internet has made it more easy for musicians to make a name for themselves. I hope to be able to continue to share blog posts and even some recordings and videos of my playing here on this blog.

19. Classical music is very underrated, in my opinion.

I think that everyone should give classical music a try. There is so much variety that there is something for everybody.

20. I first wanted to play flute when I was ten. Six years later, I finally got to.

I remember asking my mom if I could play flute in the fifth grade band, but she said no. Jokes on us, cause twelve years later, I have a degree in flute performance!

21. Music theory was one of my favorite subjects in college.

I have always been fascinated by music theory. It always comes easy to me, and I always enjoyed my theory classes.

22. I love sharing all of my musical knowledge and info on this blog and on social media.

I don’t think traditional teaching will ever be for me, so I love being able to teach others through this blog. The internet has become an amazing resource for musicians of all levels, and I love adding to that!

So…

What fact or facts surprised you the most? Did you know any of these facts? Let me know in the comments!

And, if you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up for music tips in your inbox!

Join the Killer Email Squad!

Happy Valentines Day! I am currently single, so I don’t have any special person as my valentine, but that is okay. This is my last semester in college, and I am happy to be able to focus on school and preparing for my future career.

In the spirit of Valentines Day, I decided to write a post about some of the things that I am loving at the moment. I have different shows, food and more on this list! I hope you have a great holiday and maybe you learned about a cool new product to try or show to watch!

Switched at Birth

This show has been on and off the air for awhile, but it just came back a few weeks ago. I have made the effort to catch up on episodes at home since I don’t have cable in my dorm, but you can watch all of the previous episodes on Netflix.

The show is great at exploring diversity, and there are different characters, so everyone can relate to someone on the show. There are also quite a few deaf characters, so sign language is common. It’s a great motivator to actually watch the show instead of being on Twitter at the same time!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

These were some of my favorite books as a kid, and a new series was just released on Netflix last month! I binge-watch all of the episodes in a couple of days. Neil Patrick Harris plays Count Olaf, the series villain. Also, Patrick Warburton (Kronk from the Emperor’s New Groove) is the narrator.

The entire season is eight hour long episodes, so you don’t need a ton of time to watch it. If you love mysteries, light horror or reliving your childhood, this show is for you.

Popeyes

I’m not a huge fan of fried chicken, but I love Popeyes! They have awesome chicken tenders with amazing breading! I also love their mashed potatoes, and the biscuits are to die for!

I make sure to fill my Popeyes craving every time I go home, because my college town isn’t lucky enough to have one. But it’s definitely one of my top favorite restaurants.

KFC just can’t compete!

My Schedule

I really lucked out with my class schedule this semester. All of my classes happen in the afternoon, so I can ease into the day most of the time.

I do like to get out early and practice music when I can, that way it’s not hanging over me. Music is not something that stresses me out, but it still takes time, and I like to make a dent in the requirement when I can.

My Job

Last semester, I started working as an opinion writer for my school’s paper. I am able to go to weekly meetings then write my weekly opinion piece on my own time (before the deadline, of course!).

I’ve also met some people through the paper, and I love getting to express my thoughts and get paid! I know that not all colleges pay their student writers, but if you like to write, it’s worth looking into!

So…

What are your current favorites? Have you tried anything on this list? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@HannahHaefele)!

Thanks for reading!

Subscribe!

So, even though I don’t have a huge audience, and even though I have yet to receive questions about me or this blog or my life, I thought I would write a post interviewing myself about things that are relevant to me and my blog. I hope you like it or find interesting!

Q: When and why did you start this blog?

A: Well, this was not actually my first blog. I had another one that is not up anymore, and I wanted a blog that could be more broad. I started this blog under the name It’s Mixed Arts. I came up with that name a long time ago. It was my then-current email account name, and I was interested in blogging about more than just music. I have since realized that music and life as a music major should be the sole focus of my blog. I changed the name to Killer Harmony in January 2016. I plan on blogging for a long time, but my schedule might not always allow me to post twice a week. I hope to continue at least once a week. Twice when I can.

Q: What exactly is your major?

A: My major is music performance. I have a focus in flute. I am also attempting to pursue a Spanish minor next year, but it might be difficult considering I am supposed to graduate next spring. (Eek!)

Q: Where do you go to school?

A: I would rather not say my location exactly, but I go to a small state school in the middle of the country. #NOTaflyoverstate

Q: What are your school’s requirements for a music major? Are they standard?

A: I am required to take four semesters of music theory and ear training and sight singing classes. I would have had to take four semesters of group piano, but I passed out of all four semesters. I also have to take lessons each semester and perform in both large and small ensembles each semester. I have to take marching bad in the fall. I take wind ensemble all year and flute choir all year. I also will be taking basic conducting this fall. As a performance major, I must complete a junior and a senior recital. Then there is a whole list of general education courses. My university is accredited by the NASM, so I would say the requirements are standard.

Q: Do you play anything besides flute?

A: I can also play some auxiliary flutes, such as piccolo, alto and bass flutes. I can work my way around recorder. I can also play piano, clarinet, saxophone, and a little oboe.

Q: How much do you practice a day?

A: It varies depending on my schedule. I try to get at least 1.5 hours on flute and 30-45 minutes on piano as those are the instruments I take lessons for. I don’t have time to practice much else. I also try and do some piccolo for 30 of not every day, every other day. Sometimes, I will have been able to play for 3+ hours of flute per day. It really depends.

Q: Do you live on or off campus?

A: I live on campus in an upperclassman single dorm. I like the convenience, but the size of my university doesn’t lend itself to the best of options when it comes to on campus food. I’m a picky eater, so I would love if I could cook my own food instead of having to eat at the cafeteria. I will probably get an apartment in the next couple of years, though.

Q: Do you drive in your college town?

A: I don’t really find it necessary. I can walk to the pharmacy and grocery stores easily, and I have friends who could give me a ride if I needed to go farther. I might bring my car down in the future, but right now, I don’t miss it.

Q: What are your post college plans?

A: I would love to start teaching lessons privately, possibly in my college town. I am considering a graduate degree in music from my same university. Since I transferred from a community college, I would like to stay at my school for another couple years for a fuller experience.

Q: What do you see happening with this blog as part of your future?

A: right now, the only time that I have enough time to devote to blogging is during school breaks and during the weekends. I am on spring break pre-writing content for the rest of the semester, and depending on things, I might be cutting back to one post per week instead of two. I’m not sure for how long, but I want to create high quality content rather than high quantity.

Well, there you have it. Some questions and answers about me, my life, and my blog. I hope you enjoyed it! I am working on more to come!

We live in a very On-The-Go society. Everyone always has somewhere to be, and we are rarely in the same place for a full day. That is why many people have come to love their smartphone and tablets, because they allow us to stay connected to others no matter where we are. Whether we are on opposite sides of the room or opposite sides of the world, we are able to keep in touch. This is important since group projects are becoming more popular. I, Hannah Haefele, am the sole owner of this blog, but I love being able to write something and post it for the world to see. I love being a part of the world of social media. But since I don’t really have a central office where I do all of my work, I love my iPad and iPhone, especially for using the Internet. For this post, I want to tell you all about how I use my iPad and iPhone to keep up with not only my blog, but all of my social media outlets from blogging, to Twitter to my sheet music website through a site called MusicaNeo.

IPAD

I love using my iPad Mini to work on my blog. When I am writing a post, I use the Blogger app (free on the App Store, probably free on Google Play). The app has a nice, simple layout. The compose screen in the app is very simple and clean. You just have the option for Bold or Italics, a camera button, and the “Done” button, and the onscreen keyboard unless you decide to use an external keyboard. I, personally have never felt the need for one. This post was drafted in Blogger.

If I need to put the final touches on a post, I use the Blogger website on either Safari or another browser called Puffin. The app costed me about four US dollars, and I have had the app for quite a long time, so I am not sure of the price now, but for me, the cost is totally worth it. With Puffin, you are able to bypass the “mobile” restrictions found in Safari. It even has the option of enabling an onscreen mouse/trackpad within the app. I use Safari to check my MusicaNeo site, and I use Puffin via Dropbox if I need to upload a new piece of music on the go.

For other forms of social media, like Facebook and Twitter, I use their native apps.

IPHONE

If I happen to not have my iPad with me, which is rare since it fits in a small purse, I will use my iPhone to do anything quick when it comes to my blog. I usually won’t write full posts on my iPhone, but I might edit them or schedule a post to go up. If I do anything with my blog on my iPhone, I will use that same apps and websites as on my iPad. I prefer my iPhone to my iPad for checking Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I like viewing them on a smaller screen for some reason.

As I said before, we live in a very connected world. We all have places to be, and we don’t always have the time to sit down for a long period of time at a desk and write a blog post or do whatever type of work it is that you do. Tablets and smartphones are a great way to help us get things done. I hope you enjoyed reading about how I manage my blog and social media.